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Apparently, NO ONE can hear on a cell phone

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Edited

EDIT: I do not own a cell phone. Tried one about 5 years back, too complicated for me. Returned it and got my money back. I am technically challenged, and can not do a cell phone. Please stop posting comments re cell phone does this, that and the other.

No question, just relating what happened yesterday.

Received a call from one of the assistants at my doctor’s office. I only have a landline, I do not own a cell phone. But he was calling on a cell phone. I’d already advised him I wearing hearing aids, don’t hear well, and had him repeat something, earlier in the conversation.

Then he got to the part of what the doc wanted me to do. I had no clue what he was saying. So I replied, “This is what I heard: “the doctor wants you to lease gerbawk camerick simparti may dirk.” And he responded: yes, that’s correct, so when you complete that step, then . . . “

:face_with_spiral_eyes:

I was baffled. I purposely spoke gibberish. And he GOT IT??? Needless to say, the phone call took longer than necessary, as I circled back to get him to say it ALL again once he finished.

Patient portal was down, messaging not available, which is why we were limping along on a phone call. Eventually I figured out what I was supposed to do.

21 people in this conversation14 min readJump to latest

I only use a cell phone that streams to my hearing aids. My wife prefers the old fashioned landline, but I cannot hear anything over any landline. I have had individuals tell me I will call your home phone only. And I bluntly say if you do you will not get me. Maybe my wife will take the call.

@cvkemp said:

I only use a cell phone that streams to my hearing aids

Same for me. In addition, my “landline” was transferred to a VOIP account, so that line rings to a standard DEC phone set (whose base is wired to the router) but also, critically for me, to an app on my iPad, which talks over Bluetooth to my .

I hate pushing audio devices to my HAs, as in the olddays.

I’m glad both of you can do that. I am technically challenged. Tried a cell phone some years ago, could not figure it out - nothing to do with the hearing aids, just the basic cell phone. Gave it back. Beyond my abilities at this point.

In reply to @RobHooft

I can’t forward our landline as my wife prefers it. She has an awesome smartphone and will forward the landline to it if she leaves the house. I have gotten to only give my cell phone number to anyone. I have had businesses say we will only call landlines. My response this is my only number accept it or nothing.

From the cell phone the aids are just an extension of the cell phone.

I hate talking on the phone now. Clarity is an issue in general for every conversation for me (and yes! everyone else). Even my landline isn’t as clear as it once was. And this isn’t totally due to hearing loss.

Your story proves the point. How frustrating for you - glad you got it straightened out.

I have a Clarity Alto landline phone, which has amplification and caller ID. It has helped me greatly, regardless of landline or cellphone call. If you do an online search, you may find a lower price.

Clarity — Amplified and Low Vision Phones5

Clarity products in the Mild-to-Moderate category amplify incoming sounds between 25-35 decibels and are designed for those who desire more amplification and clarity than what normal telephones provide. Alto, Alto Plus, C200, D702HS, D703, D704,...

Thanks! I’ve wondered about that free phone I see advertised on television, with the captions of what is being said. Thing is, I have 3 phones in my home, and not sure that one, or the one you shared, would be compatible.

Fortunately, I don’t need the captions, just the amplification, which is why I don’t have the Caption Phone. The Clarity Alto gives me good amplification on both ring tone and voice, plus it has a flashing light as a visual ringer. There’s also a light that indicates a missed call or a voicemail. The phone plugs into a standard phone line jack; no special equipment needed.

Before I got aids, my only phone was a landline, and it was so difficult to hear anything over (including amplified models) that I basically gave up using the phone. I think I had a mobile phone at that point but an older non-smartphone, and I didn’t hear any better over it. When I first got a smartphone, I was surprised that I could hear over it, and of course - texting. It was more useful than I expected. My first hearing aids were Rexton Trax 42s, and while they did work with the phone they took a medallion necklace and something or other I don’t remember other than it was a pain to get them to work with the aids each time (same with the tv connector for those aids). So I still avoided using the phone, and if someone called me, I’d be putting them off, saying how I’d call back, pulling out the damn medallion, fussing with it, and calling back later.

Then I got the KS9s, which were Sonova, i.e., Phonak, and things changed. The effortless way they worked with the phone with no intermediary device changed everything. Not only that, for someone who isn’t attached to her phone the way many are these days, hearing calls and texts come in when I’m not on top of the phone means not missing things the way I used to all the time. The one thing that’’ not better is voice messages. They are often hard or impossible to understand because people like those in doctors’ offices are in a hurry, making calls they probably make all the time that bore them, and they talk fast, slur, whatever. Some day I’ll have an expensive phone that lets me customize the voice mail message to say, Don’t leave a message, text me.:slightly_smiling_face:

When I lost my KS9s before the Sennheisers to came to Costco, I actually got Lumitys off of ebay rather than get anything other than a Phonak-by-another-name aid from Costco. They just work with my old cheap Tracfone and when I have to replace that phone I know they’ll work with whatever I get and I’ll be able to set it up myself.

Haven’t had a land line in quite some time. I use strictly cell phones. But, I do have Innocaptions on my cell phone and on my laptop.

Streaming to my hearing aids would only make the mumble I hear worse, so I do not use it. I have to be able to read the words, same as on my television.

Have not had a landline in many many years! Even before my hearing loss became apparent. Had our old landline ported to my wife’s cellphone and have never looked back. Many advantages such as the ability to not receive spam calls or having to pay for something I don’t use. I have no problems with receiving calls through my aids. But, I’m not sure I could understand the garble anymore without the ability to use them.

I have been using only a cell phone for about 12 years now. And I have my calls streamed to my aids. With the latest technology I am fully hands free. So no issues when driving. But I set my phone to do not disturb driving when I am the driver. I don’t have any issues on phone calls as long as it goes straight to my aids. Like I said the hearing aids are an extension to the cell phone just like air pods and ear buds. I also listen to podcast and audio books. I don’t use captions, why? I am doing my best to preserve what hearing I have left. In a word, use it or lose it.

I also leave mine on do not disturb just to eliminate spam calls. Phone is still set up to let those in my contacts list to ring through. Everything such as messages and calls go through my aids.

My phones (home & cell) do not stream to hearing aids, so I have a work-around for clear understanding:
Hold the telephone receiver not on the ear, but higher- near the top of my ear so that the telephone receiver sounds go to the microphone ports on the hearing aids instead of my ear canal.

Hope This Helps!
Paul

The doctors in the capital city allow to make appointments using online calendars, you just select a date. The local doctors don’t and demand that I call. I think that if you can’t be bothered to use the Internet as a person whose mental faculties should be excellent due to the profession, then you’re a bad, incompetent doctor not worth my money. The government is of course too slow to implement a centralized system for appointments.

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